U.S. patent number 7,066,664 [Application Number 11/346,965] was granted by the patent office on 2006-06-27 for three way video camera base.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Creative Technology Ltd. Invention is credited to Weng Hong Benjamin Ng, Yu Weng Alvin Sitoh.
United States Patent |
7,066,664 |
Sitoh , et al. |
June 27, 2006 |
Three way video camera base
Abstract
A base for supporting a camera or other electronic device
includes a body member connected by a hinge mechanism to a support
member and configured to rotate about a camera tilt axis. The
support member is attachable to the base of a video camera. Two
front legs are fixed in position relative to the body member. A
rear leg is attached by a pivot connection to the body member. The
base is configured such that the rear leg may be moved by pivoting
the rear leg about the rear leg pivot axis to engage a back surface
of a laptop screen or flat monitor or onto a flat horizontal
surface. The camera tilt axis and the rear leg pivot axis are
substantially parallel.
Inventors: |
Sitoh; Yu Weng Alvin
(Singapore, SG), Ng; Weng Hong Benjamin (Singapore,
SG) |
Assignee: |
Creative Technology Ltd
(Singapore, SG)
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Family
ID: |
35425380 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/346,965 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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10857718 |
May 28, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
396/428; 248/121;
248/126; 248/200; 248/439; 248/440.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
1/1605 (20130101); F16M 11/126 (20130101); F16M
13/022 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G03B
17/00 (20060101); F16M 11/38 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;396/419,428
;348/373,375,376 ;248/121,126,166,439,183.2,187.1,231.1,231.5,440.1
;D16/244,245 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Perkey; W. B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Swerdon; Russell N.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
10/857,718, entitled THREE WAY VIDEO CAMERA BASE, and filed on May
28, 2004, the specification of which is incorporated by reference
herein in its entirety for all purposes.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A base for supporting a camera comprising: a support member
configured for attachment to the underside of the camera; a body
member pivotally attached to the support member, said body member
having a fixed front projecting portion extending in at least a
frontward direction; and a rear leg pivotally attached to the body
member by a rear hinge joint having a compliance level adapted to
maintain a user adjustable position of the rear leg relative to the
body member.
2. The base as recited in claim 1 wherein the front projecting
portion comprises at least one leg extending downward from the
position of the support member.
3. The base as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a left part of
the front projecting portion and a right part of the front
projecting portion are configured to engage a viewing surface of a
laptop display screen by hooking onto the laptop screen.
4. The base as recited in claim 3 wherein the left part and the
right part are at least one inch apart.
5. The base as recited in claim 2 wherein the front projecting
portion comprises two legs.
6. The base as recited in claim 2 wherein the front projecting
portion is integrally formed with the body member.
7. The base as recited in claim 1, wherein the support member
pivots in relation to the body member along a camera tilt axis and
the rear leg pivots in relation to the body member along a rear leg
pivot axis, and wherein the camera tilt axis and the rear leg pivot
axis are substantially parallel.
8. The base as recited in claim 7, wherein the support member is
configured such that an attachable camera pivots along a camera pan
axis that is substantially perpendicular to the camera tilt axis
and the rear leg pivot axis.
9. The base as recited in claim 1, wherein the front projecting
portion further comprises resilient material positioned on the
distal portion and configured to engage one of a flat surface and a
front of a laptop screen.
10. The base as recited in claim 1, wherein the front projecting
portion comprises at least one resilient pad located on the
proximal portion to the rear hinge such that the resilient pad
contacts a horizontal surface when the rear leg is folded and the
base rests upon said surface.
11. The base as recited in claim 1, wherein the rear leg is
adjustable in a first position to rest on a flat surface, in a
second position to provide contact with a rear face of a laptop
screen, and in a third position to provide contact with the rear
face of a flat monitor screen being relatively wider than the
laptop screen.
12. A base for supporting a camera comprising: a body member
configured for attachment to a camera, said body member having a
front projecting portion configured to contact a planar surface;
and a rear leg pivotally attached to the body member by a rear
hinge joint having a compliance level adapted to maintain a user
adjustable position of the rear leg relative to the body
member.
13. The base as recited in claim 12 further comprising a support
member pivotally attached to the body member, said support member
configured for attachment to an underside of a camera.
14. The base as recited in claim 13 wherein the projecting portion
is configured to contact a planar surface such that the distance
between the leftmost portion of the contact with the planar surface
to the rightmost portion is at least one inch.
15. The base as recited in claim 14 wherein the projecting portion
comprises a right leg and left leg, the left leg defining the
leftmost portion of the contact and the right leg defining the
rightmost portion of the contact, said right and left legs fixed in
position relative to the rest of the body member.
16. A camera having a base for supporting the camera on a variety
of surfaces comprising: a support member attached to the underside
of the camera; a body member pivotally attached to the support
member, the body member having a front projecting portion
configured for engaging one of a viewing plane of a laptop screen
or a horizontal surface; and a rear leg pivotally attached to the
body member by a rear hinge joint having a compliance level adapted
to maintain a user adjustable position of the rear leg relative to
the body member.
17. The camera as recited in claim 16 wherein the weight of the
camera and positioning of the center of gravity of the camera
relative to the support member, body member, and rear leg
comprising the base is selected to provide a threshold normal force
to the rear surface of a screen or monitor when the base-camera
combination is mounted on either a laptop screen or flat screen
monitor.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to supports for cameras. More
particularly, the present invention relates to supports adaptable
for supporting a video camera coupled to a computer, including
desktop and laptop models.
2. Description of the Related Art
The personal computer market has grown rapidly in the past decade.
Recent trends have focussed on the configuration of the computer to
perform a variety of user defined functions, including connecting
to the internet and communicating with others also so connected.
Video cameras have increasingly been used to augment the
communication between individuals using the internet. For example,
"web cameras", typically CCD cameras have been used first to
capture still photos and transmit the photos to other computer
users via email or through instant messaging arrangements. Further,
video cameras have also been used to transmit videos, at different
frame rates and resolutions depending upon the available bandwidth,
to provide video telephone functions when coupled with voice over
IP protocols.
At the same time, laptop computers, i.e., portable computers, have
captured an increasingly larger proportion of overall computer
sales. Unfortunately, many of the video cameras performing the
aforementioned functions offered employ a tripod support structure,
which, while suitable for a flat surface such as a desktop or the
top surface of a CRT screen, cannot be used with the relatively
thin LCD screens often found on laptops. Accordingly, what is
needed is an improved base or support that can also be used with a
variety of computers, including both laptops and desktops.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the foregoing, the present invention provides a base for
supporting a camera or other electronic device and for use in
conjunction with a computer. In accordance with one embodiment, a
base includes a body member connected by a front hinge joint formed
along a camera tilt axis to a support member. Two front legs are
fixed in position relative to the body member. A rear leg is
attached by a pivot connection to the body member, the pivot
connection formed along a rear leg pivot axis. Preferably, the
camera tilt axis and the rear leg pivot axis are substantially
parallel.
The extendible rear leg is pivotally attached to the body member of
the base to provide a reliable means of attaching the camera to a
display screen, such as a flat panel display or laptop screen. The
action of the pivot connection preferably is such that the movement
of the rear leg is constrained within one degree of freedom of
rotation and to provide convenient adjustment for attachment to a
variety of screen monitors, such as including laptop display
screens, flat panel display screens, as well as for positioning on
horizontal surfaces.
According to another embodiment, a base for supporting a camera is
provided. A support member is configured for attachment to the
underside of the camera. A body member is pivotally attached to the
support member. The body member includes a fixed front projecting
portion extending in a frontward and downward direction and a rear
leg pivotally attached to the body member. According to one
variation of this embodiment, at least a left part of the front
projecting portion and a right part of the front projecting portion
are configured to engage a viewing surface of a laptop display
screen by hooking onto the laptop screen.
According to yet another embodiment, a base for supporting a camera
on a variety of surfaces includes a support member attachable to
the underside of the camera, a body member pivotally attached to
the support member. The body member includes two fixed front legs.
A rear leg is pivotally attached to the body member.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention
are described below with reference to the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A 1B are perspective views illustrating a camera base in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 2A 2C are perspective views illustrating a base supporting a
camera on a horizontal surface in accordance with one embodiment of
the present invention.
FIGS. 3A 3C are perspective views illustrating a base supporting a
camera on a top portion of a laptop screen in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 4A 4C are perspective views illustrating a base supporting a
camera on a top portion of a flat panel screen in accordance with
one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 5A 5C are respectively front, elevation, and bottom views
illustrating a base supporting a camera in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference will now be made in detail to preferred embodiments of
the invention. Examples of the preferred embodiments are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will
be described in conjunction with these preferred embodiments, it
will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention
to such preferred embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to
cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be
included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims. In the following description, numerous
specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough
understanding of the present invention. The present invention may
be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In
other instances, well known features have not been described in
detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present
invention.
The present invention provides a base suitable for supporting a
camera, such as a webcam, on a variety of surfaces. A support
member such as a post is coupled to and rotates about a camera tilt
axis relative to the body member of the base. By providing a rear
leg that pivots about a rear leg pivot axis, independent of the
tilting movement of the support post, the base is adaptable for
mounting a camera directly on a laptop screen or a flat screen
panel. Alternatively, by folding the rear leg to its fully
retracted position, the base may be used to support a camera on a
flat horizontal surface, such as a table, desktop, or the top
surface of a conventional CRT monitor. With the rear leg fully
retracted, the base presents a compact form for storage or
transport.
FIG. 1A is a perspective view illustrating a camera base in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The base
102 includes a body member 103 pivotally attached to a rear leg
104, such that the rear leg rotates about a rear leg pivot axis
122. The body member 103 is further preferably coupled with a
support member 105 via a front hinge joint 111. The support member
105 may comprise any suitably configured link providing a pivoting
connection with the body member 103 such as to provide a pivoting
action about camera tilt axis 120. That is, the support member may
comprise a thin neck portion or a substantially wider supporting
plate and still be in keeping with the spirit and scope of the
present invention. Preferably, according to an alternative
embodiment, an attached camera 101 is configured to rotate about a
camera pan axis 124 relative to the support member 105, thereby
providing a panning capability to the camera. Preferably, the
camera pan axis 124 is substantially perpendicular to the camera
tilt axis 120 and the rear leg pivot axis 122.
The front legs are preferably located to minimize intrusion on the
viewing area of the laptop or flat screen monitor. By projecting
the tips of the front legs downward, the intrusion can be
minimized. That is, preferably, the tips located at the distal ends
of the front legs are formed such that they hook onto the front of
the screen when the base is mounted on the screen. Preferably, and
in accordance with one embodiment, the front legs are spaced apart
at least one inch. Alternatively, when mounted or placed on a flat
horizontal surface, a bottom portion of the leg tips make contact
with the flat surface. Preferably, a resilient pad 108 is attached
to the distal portion of the front legs as well as a similar
resilient contact pad 110 attached to the distal portion of the
rear leg. Preferably, the resilient contact pads 108, 110 will have
a size large enough to cover the contact points of the tips in any
of the configurations. For example, the resilient contact pads 108
cover the front leg tips in one embodiment, circumscribing an arc
of about 90 degrees or more on the contact portions of the front
tips. Preferably, the rear leg is provided with two separate
contact pads, a first resilient contact pad 110 provided on the
distal portion of the rear leg 104 and a second resilient contact
pad 112 provided on the opposite surface of the proximal portion of
the real leg 104. That is, the second resilient contact pad is
provided on a rear facing surface of the rear leg 104 and the first
resilient contact pad 110 is positioned on the front facing surface
of the rear leg 104. The rear and front facing designations are
descriptive of the rear leg position of the base when the base 102
is hung on a laptop or flat monitor screen. As used herein, distal
and proximal portions of the rear legs are determined from the rear
hinge joint 109, whereas the distal portions of the front legs are
described relative to their fixed attachment point to the body
member 103.
The rear hinge joint 109, formed along the rear leg pivot axis 122,
is preferably provided with sufficient compliance such that the
rear leg is adjustable through a range of movement, for example at
least 90 degrees from full extension to full retraction, and
further capable of providing an infinite number of adjustable
positions within this range. Preferably this is accomplished by
providing sufficient compliance within the hinge joint itself.
Methods of providing compliance within hinge joints are known to
those of skill in the art and therefore full details will not be
provided herein. This range of motion provides an opening between
the front leg tips and the distal portion of the rear leg suitable
for mounting or "hanging" the base on a variety of laptop screen
and flat monitor screens. More preferably, the range of movement of
the rear leg from full retraction (i.e., completely folded) to full
extension lies in the range of 90 to 135 degrees. The upper limit
to the extension enables the base to be used on relatively wide,
e.g., 3 inch wide flat screen monitors without the rear leg losing
its angular adjustment and slipping out of position on the rear
face of the monitor.
In particular, the rear leg 104 is preferably configured such that
the rear hinge joint 109 provides the rear leg with only one degree
of freedom of rotation. Likewise, the front hinge joint 11 is
preferably configured to provide the support member 105 with only
one degree of freedom of rotation relative to the body member
103.
By providing the rear leg pivot axis substantially parallel with
the camera tilt axis, the range of motion provided for support
member tilt can be reduced while still providing a base suitable
for use with a camera mounted on a laptop screen itself having a
wide range of tilt positions depending on the particular user's
preferences. In other words, attaching a camera to the support
member such as a support post that is tilted relative to the body
member and also providing the rear leg that is adjustable relative
to the body member, using respectively parallel axes, enables the
base to be mounted on a laptop screen in a stable, unobtrusive
manner that is optimized for the particular dimensions of the
screen and the tilt of the screen.
Preferably the body member is formed with a concave surface formed
in its underside as illustrated in FIG. 1A. This permits the rear
leg to be completely retracted for mounting the base on a
horizontal surface such as a table or desktop. According to yet
another embodiment, the rear leg is provided with a resilient and
slip resistant second contact pad 112 on its proximate portion, as
illustrated in FIG. 1A and as described earlier. When the rear leg
is fully retracted, the front legs and the second contact pad 112
provide a three point contact for the base. As illustrated in FIGS.
2A 2C, preferably the rear leg, when fully retracted, tucks away
into the recess formed in the body member. It should be appreciated
that the front legs may be formed in a variety of configurations
and yet still allow the rear leg to be foldable for compact
transport or storage. That is, the body member 103 may be
integrally formed with the front legs, thus fixing their position.
Alternatively, the front legs 106, 107 may be fixed to the body
member 103 with suitable adhesives or fasteners according to
methods known to those of skill in the relevant arts. The
configurations illustrated in FIGS. 1 5 are intended to be
illustrative and not limiting.
In accordance with the present embodiment, the body member 103 is
configured to rotate about a camera tilt axis 120, whereas the rear
leg 104 is configured to rotate about a rear leg pivot axis 122 in
relation to the body member. This configuration provides suitable
relative movement of the rear leg 104 relative to the front legs
106, 107 such that the base 102 may be adapted to placement on a
variety of computer monitors, ranging from a laptop panel as
further illustrated in FIGS. 3A 3C to a flat panel display as
further illustrated in FIGS. 4A C.
FIGS. 2A 2C are perspective views illustrating a base supporting a
camera on a horizontal surface in accordance with one embodiment of
the present invention. It should be noted herein that throughout
the various drawings like numerals refer to like parts. The various
drawings illustrated and described herein are used to illustrate
various features of the invention. To the extent that a particular
feature is enumerated in one drawing and not another, except where
otherwise indicated or where the structure inherently prohibits
incorporation of the feature, it is to be understood that those
features may be adapted to be included in the embodiments
represented in the other figures, as if they were fully illustrated
in those figures.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2A 2C, camera 101 is shown supported by
base 102 on a flat, horizontal surface 230. This configuration is
suitable for mounting of the camera and base on a table, desktop,
or a top flat surface of a conventional CRT monitor. It is to be
understood that this configuration is also suitable for flat
surfaces deviating from perfectly horizontal. That is, conventional
CRT monitors are often tilted slightly for adjustment to a
particular viewer's height, eye location, etc. The present
configuration of the camera and base is intended to extend to work
suitably with all reasonable tilt angles, for example up to 30
degrees or more from horizontal. Providing the base with the camera
tilt axis 120 substantially parallel with the rear leg pivot axis
122 adds to the stability of the base in this configuration.
Preferably, in this configuration, the range of motion of the
camera about the camera tilt axis 120, i.e., the tilting of the
support member 105, is at least 30 degrees and more preferably
about 60 degrees. By constraining the support member 105 tilt
motion in this manner, and hence constraining the camera 101 to
tilt a corresponding amount, the camera may be used in conjunction
with the base to tilt upwards (for example, when placed on a
desktop) or downwards, for example, from the top of a CRT monitor.
The angular limitations described above are intended to be
illustrative and not limiting. It is preferable that the adjustment
of the rear leg be used to maintain the body member 103 at a
relatively level position, no matter which mounting configuration
is selected, and thus only a small range of angular motion is
required for the titling of the support member (and hence the
camera) along the camera tilt axis. This limitation is desirable,
in some cases, to avoid problems resulting from providing a
substantially larger range of angular motion at the front hinge
joint, for example, contributing to a premature failure of the
front hinge joint.
In this configuration, the front legs 106, 107 provide a three
contact point supporting structure in conjunction with a proximal
portion of the rear leg. Preferably, each of the front legs and the
rear leg proximal portion include a resilient contact surface for
slip proof positioning. For example, resilient contact pads 108,
112 as shown in FIG. 1A may be used. That is, resilient contact 112
or any other suitable configured contact pad, may be positioned at
the rear leg contact point 233.
FIGS. 3A 3C are perspective views illustrating a base supporting a
camera on a top portion of a laptop screen in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention. The camera 101 and base 102
are preferably configured such that the front legs wrap or hook
around the front surface of the laptop screen 302. By extending the
tips of the front legs downward and covering the contact points of
the tips with a resilient material, the tips 106a, 107a provide
only a minimal intrusion on the viewing surface 303 of the laptop
screen 302. Dimensions of the leg tips can vary and still be in
conformity with the spirit and scope of the present invention. In
the embodiment illustrated, a suitable size for the tips may be as
small as one-quarter inch. In other words, preferably the tips are
sized such that a hooking action is provided with a minimal
intrusion onto the viewing area. In this configuration, three
contact points are provided with the laptop screen, including each
of the front leg contact points 308 on the viewing (front) surface
of the screen and a rear leg contact point 309 between the distal
portion of the rear leg and the rear surface of the laptop screen
302.
Preferably, the base 102 includes a rear leg 104 having a length
slightly less than the distance between the rear hinge joint 109
and the tips 106a, 107b of the front legs 106, 107. By configuring
the links forming the base in this way, body member 103 can
maintain a substantially level configuration, whether the base is
placed on the desktop or top surface of a CRT monitor (See FIGS. 2A
2C), mounted on a laptop screen (See FIGS. 3A 3C), or mounted on a
flat screen (See FIGS. 4A 4C). In accordance with one embodiment,
the rear leg 104 has a length of about 2 inches, a distance between
the front leg tips and the rear pivot axis of about 21/4 inches,
and a distance between the camera tilt axis and the rear pivot axis
of about 1 inch.
In accordance with one embodiment, and as further illustrated in
FIG. 3C, the base is configured to preferably receive a camera
having its center of gravity 306 located at a sufficient distance
to the rear of the contact point 309 of the rear leg with the back
of the laptop screen to enhance the stability of the device. That
is, an optimized location of the center of gravity of an attached
camera relative to the base may be predetermined by considering the
weight of the camera and the dimensions of the base, particularly
the length of the rear leg and the distance between the rear leg
pivot axis and the contact point of the rear surface of the laptop
screen. Further, the location of the center of gravity is a
function of the rearward tilting of the body member when placed in
its desired mounted position. Preferably, the force created by the
weight at the center of gravity of the camera will result in ample
normal force being applied at point 309 of the rear surface of the
laptop screen 302 by the resilient pad at the distal end of the
rear leg, such as to hold the camera in a suitable position without
the rear leg "slipping" downward. In other words, the location of
the center of gravity towards the rear helps in providing stability
to the base. In accordance with one embodiment, a camera and base
combination is provided. The weight and positioning of the center
of gravity of the camera is selected to provide a threshold normal
force when the base-camera combination is mounted on either a
laptop screen or flat screen monitor.
FIGS. 4A 4C are perspective views illustrating a base supporting a
camera on a top surface of a flat panel screen in accordance with
one embodiment of the present invention. In this configuration, the
distance between the distal portion of the rear leg 104 and the
tips 106a, 107a of the front legs 106, 107 is increased to
accommodate the greater width of the flat panel screen 402. Again,
preferably three point contact is made using resilient contact
surfaces on the distal portions of the front legs and the rear leg
respectively. Preferably, the rear leg 104 is adjustable about the
rear leg pivot axis to provide an opening for secure mounting onto
a laptop or flat screen. Preferably the opening is adjustable
within the range of 1/8 inch to about 4 inches, more preferably 1/4
inch to 3 inches. By providing two front legs on the front face of
the screens and the rear leg on the rear face of the screens, i.e.,
straddling the screen, the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3A 3C as well
as FIGS. 4A 4C provide a secure mounting method for the various
embodiments of the base and camera.
FIGS. 5A 5C are respectively front, elevation, and bottom views
illustrating a base supporting a camera in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention. In order to prevent the rear
leg from retracting, in the folded position, to a point where
contact with the flat surface is made with the rear hinge joint 109
rather than the resilient surface 112 as illustrated in FIG. 1A, a
projection 504 and stops 508, 509 are provided. These are used in
conjunction with each other to constrain the folded angle of the
rear leg.
The structure described herein provides a base for use for example
with a web camera. The base coupled with the camera may be
positioned in a variety of configurations including but not limited
to atop a conventional PC CRT monitor, on a table, mounted at the
top portion of a laptop screen, or mounted at the top portion of a
flat screen. The base is foldable to provide compact storage or
transport.
Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail
for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be apparent that
certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope
of the appended claims. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to
be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the
invention is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may
be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appended
claims.
* * * * *